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Despite entering Saturday's Missouri Class 1-District 6 championship game sporting seven losses, the Hornets won big over top-seeded Weaubleau, 70-45.
Juniors Allie Heckemeyer and Savannah Stiles teamed to score 53 points, including Stiles' 1,000 career point in the first-half.
The Hornets entered the district tournament having played just four games all season against fellow Class 1 teams and faced a host of tough opponents throughout the season, including several Class 3 and 4 teams.
"Really we only played two Class 1 teams on our schedule, but got into a tournament because there was nothing else available and played two other Class 1 schools," said St. Elizabeth Head Coach Sheila Heckemeyer. "We felt that coming in we were more prepared because we played a hard schedule. Weaubleau has a very good team, and I don't want to take anything away from them, and they play some very good teams, but for my team and where we are at, it is very, very challenging."
Heckemeyer said for St. Elizabeth (21-7) to enter the district tournament with 18 wins was a big accomplishment due to the nature of the Hornet schedule.
"If we can be around .500, that is a good year for me," said Heckemeyer. "For us to be 21-7, that is really big. It means something and it is something special. The girls have worked hard for it."
St. Elizabeth will return to Bolivar to play No. 1 ranked Walnut Grove at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday in a Class 1 sectional game at Southwest Baptist University.
For Weaubleau, the loss ends the hopes of the Tigers' return to the playoffs. Last season, Weaubleau captured a district title, then faced the eventual state runner-up, Walnut Grove, in a sectional playoff game at SBU. The Tigers end the 2012-2013 season with a record of 22-6.
Four seniors played their final game on Saturday for Weaubleau, including guard Dana Graves who scored 20 points. Graves, who recently scored her 1,000th career point, has signed to play softball at Missouri Southern next season. Seniors Cherith Roweton scored five points and Jalisa Poe added two points for Weaubleau. Junior guard Katie Burkhart scored 12 points.
After falling behind 8-2 early in the first quarter, Weaubleau fought back in the second quarter and briefly held a 19-18 lead early in the frame. But St. Elizabeth responded with a 10-2 run and led 29-20 and eventually took a 10-point lead (35-25) to the half.
Weableau got as close as 13 in the fourth quarter, but St. Elizabeth pulled away at the free throw line, and the Hornets scored 12 straight to take a 66-41 before the two teams emptied the bench late in the contest.
Missouri Class 1 District 6 championship game
ST. ELIZABETH 70, WEAUBLEAU 45
St. Elizabeth 18 17 15 20 — 70
Weaubleau 15 10 10 10 — 45
Weaubleau (22-6) — Katie Burkhart 12, Dana Graves 20, Cherith Roweton 5, Kyla Miniea 6, Jalisa Poe 2.
St. Elizabeth (21-7) — Allie Heckemeyer 26, Savannah Stiles 27, Haven Bax 6, Payton Holtmeyer 4, Paige Otto 3, Emily Reeves 4.
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